De Montfort University in United Kingdom

De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is a dynamic institution with a long and vibrant history of improving people’s lives through education.

Originally founded as the Leicester School of Art in 1870, the university has evolved through many incarnations including the Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology and Leicester Polytechnic.

Leicester Polytechnic officially became De Montfort University on 26 June 1992. The name was chosen to reflect the university’s long association with Leicester by commemorating the celebrated Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, a crucial figure in medieval history who established the first parliament in 1265.

Our reputation for quality and distinctiveness in teaching and research is a direct result of our heritage. Many modern DMU courses have their roots in the late 19th century and early 20th century, when the School of Art and Leicester Technical School began training apprentices for local industries, such as boot and shoe manufacture, furniture making and design, hosiery and textiles manufacture, engineering, printing and bookbinding.

Art, pharmacy, corsetry, footwear, physical sciences and architecture were taught at the schools and are still in evidence at DMU today, either as courses in their own right, or as integral components of more contemporary courses.

A commitment to ensuring teaching kept pace with the changing needs of businesses meant that computing courses were introduced in the 1960s, and DMU’s computing degrees are still highly valued by industry.

The university has grown and evolved over the years, but it is still dedicated to providing inspirational teaching to students and is proud to have a significant impact on the world around it.

Our role in Leicester

DMU has been part of the story of Leicester for more than 150 years, beginning as the Leicester School of Art in 1870. Today, the university has more than 25,000 students, 3,500 staff and is an anchor for the city economy, pumping some £250 million into Leicester and Leicestershire every year.

We use the skills and expertise of our staff and students to answer some of the area’s most pressing challenges such as the digital agenda, skills gap and net zero.

We collaborate with key organisations such as Leicester City Council, Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Partnership (LLEP), Business Gateway and the East Midlands Chamber to drive forward the growth agenda for the region.

At DMU, we regularly consult regional businesses to ensure that our research, training and support meets the needs of industry.
As the only UK university to be a United Nations’ SDG hub, we strive to find answers to issues that matter whether they be economic, social or environmental.

Through our Local+ programme, delivered in partnership with Leicester City Council, DMU researchers work on issues that matter to communities in the city, delivering impact with benefits for thousands.
Our Leicester Castle Business School delivers training and support to help SMEs, which make up the majority of companies in Leicestershire. Experts in our Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development are at the forefront of the UK’s net zero agenda.

DMU’s Cyber Security Institute is recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as one of the finest in the country, while the School of Design is pushing the boundaries of sustainable textiles and exploring innovative methods for the fashion industry. Academics are also consulting for the Government in exploring future digital literacy needs.
And our support for start-ups and entrepreneurial approach to education led DMU to be named in the top 10 UK universities with the highest number of student and graduate start-ups this year.